So I went to give bloodwork this past Saturday, and then this morning I finally got the results from my labs. Unfortunately the findings were... not super helpful.
Dr. Martin checked four hormones: Prolactin, TSH, FSH, & LH. I'll explain a bit what they each are/do so it makes more sense:
Prolactin: This hormone causes breasts to grow and milk to be produced after a baby is born. Normally, women have only small amounts in their blood (unless pregnant or having newly given birth). Mine came back within the normal range, but right on the high edge of normal. This can affect ovulation if it's too high but, again, while higher mine is technically still in the "normal" range.
TSH: This is your thyroid-stimulating hormone. Some of you might recognize this hormone if you've been reading my posts, because I mentioned it a few times last summer when I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. It was very reassuring to see that my TSH level looked amazing! I'm sitting directly in the middle of the "normal" range, so it's safe to say my medicine is still working great. :)
FSH: This is the follicle-stimulating hormone. In women, FSH helps control the menstrual cycle and stimulates the growth of eggs. Your FSH levels change throughout your cycle, being highest just before ovulation. Mine came in right in the middle of the "normal" range.
LH: This is your luteinizing hormone. In women, this hormone helps control the menstrual cycle and an acute rise of it can trigger ovulation. Mine came in within normal margins, but it was significantly higher than my FSH level. My doctor said this ratio is often seen in people who are not ovulating...which isn't too surprising since I'm obviously not ovulating seeing as I'm not getting my period.
So, overall, my results did not indicate much of anything aside from the fact that I'm not ovulating, which we already knew. But there was no real explanation as to why. So it's safe to say I was extremely discouraged by this and immediately started to get emotional. However, as I've already mentioned, Dr. Martin is so great; he suggested right away that I go see a fertility specialist. He gave me a few recommendations and told me he would send my lab results over to whomever I picked.
I ended up scheduling an appointment with Dr. Elie Hobeika (who's with Fertility Centers of Illinois), and I'm really looking forward to our first appointment (which is this Friday via Zoom). I did a lot of research before selecting a doctor (this center alone has about ten doctors to choose from!) and I think he's exactly who would be the most perfect person for my care. Dr. Hobeika is extremely individualized with his care, meaning he works with each patient case-by-case to diagnosis each patient's individual issues. Some doctors who don't work in this way can be too generalized with their treatment, and so things not initially noticed / within the range of "normal" can go undiagnosed. He also has studied with world leaders in PCOS and recurrent pregnancy loss, which means he's also best equipped to help if my fertility problems are more complicated. He's been practicing for years and he's gone to the very best universities—his research has even been extensively published and presented in national meetings! So I definitely feel very good knowing that the doctor who will be handling my care is award-winning in his field.
After Friday I'm sure we will have a new plan of attack to start on. Unlike previously, I'm working hard to focus on the good things and to stay positive throughout everything. Obviously, I never wanted (or even imagined) my journey to conception to be like this. I thought I'd be one of the lucky women who could just get pregnant mere months after deciding to try. However, I know everything happens in God's timing and everything is as it should be. I know that I will grow, learn from, and maybe even come to appreciate my fertility journey.
I will continue to keep updates here on my blog in detail—both for anyone who actually cares to read them and for myself to look back upon. Because, when I am pregnant and when I do have my very own baby in my arms, I know it will be so very moving to see how far I came and how things have changed.
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